Most Vermonters believe they would never fall for a scam. None would ever expect the Vermont Senate to perpetrate a fraud on the people. That very thing happened in the form of S.216 that was passed by the Senate on March 3.

It is a sham that expands the conditions that qualify an individual for “medical marijuana” to any condition and for any person, no matter of age. It is a scheme to establish a system of “fake” medicine to further the game plan of the marijuana industry for full commercialism that will allow anyone for any reason to buy marijuana for the high they desire and the profit the industry demands. It is now up to the Vermont House to recognize what is happening and stop it before it is too late.

S.216 bill returns us to the days of flimflam men who hawked “snake oil” from the back of a horse drawn medicine wagon. They sold their snake oil, elixirs, and potions as remedies for all illnesses and diseases when in fact they cured none of them. These products were called “medicine” and the gullible sick wanted to believe the claims, so they came back repeatedly to buy more. Such repeat business was aided by many of the product’s addictive ingredients such as alcohol, opium and cocaine. The marijuana industry, with its addictive drug, seems to be following the same playbook as the flimflam man.

Credibility for medical marijuana is lacking among the medical community as it is. That credibility was strained even more when the Legislature wrongly expanded it to include PTSD over the strong medical and scientific objections of psychiatrists and other physicians. S.216 brings medical marijuana now fully into the realm of “folk remedy” status, suitable for all conditions, without any science to back that up. It is dangerous legislative folly, and if marijuana has any medical value at all, such an action strains even that credibility to the limit.

Most are aware that medical marijuana was invented by the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) to fool people into accepting marijuana use, and once that happened the move could more easily be made for full legalization. That worked beyond their wildest dreams, but even more, this action incredulously reveals that the Vermont Legislature is in on that scheme. This is not about medicine — there is no standardization, no maximum or minimum strengths, and no showing that any of the products meet risk-benefit determinations, let alone safety and purity.

If this becomes law, all that will be needed will be the horse drawn medicine wagon. Such a law will lure charlatan “health care providers” who will, for a fee, be very willing to give their blessing on any condition a patient might have or feign to enable that person to buy marijuana from their assigned dispensary. When this happens, the entire system will become a total joke that lacks any humor because people will be injured and die because of it.

Bob Orleck is a retired pharmacist and former Vermont assistant attorney general. He lives in Randolph.

Wow, it saddens me that folks cannot or will not see the devastation that marijuana has caused in our society. We all know folks that smoke this stuff non stop and it is not to their betterment. It takes away one’s will to work and then they merely exist. They are so high all the time they become useless members of society. Once we legalize and allow this problem will blow up big time……….people who are self medicating do not understand what they are doing to themselves. Not that I am a proponent of Big Pharma either, but you can get all the same benefits from CBD(Hemp Oil) as you can from pot without the high so why are people still pushing for marijuana legalization?

Cannabis is NOT addictive
Legal states sell standardized strains and oils with max/min strengths
There is plenty of science backing medical use – it has been used as medicine for 5000 years. It was COMMONLY used as medicine in the US till 1937
No one has ever died from cannabis
I have never heard of anyone being injured from it either
Risk/benefit?? There is ZERO risk and well documented benefits
Bob Orleck is the real snake oil salesman here

Anyone that couldn’t see through the passing of this Bill in Montpelier must be on a different
planet . Our Inept Liberal (Progressive Democrooks ) yes the ” Brain Trust ” we have under
the Gold Dome, figured this was an easy fix for the State DEBT !!

Hey Governor, you best call our ” Three Stooges ” we have in DC and get ” Marijuana”
removed from the federal controlled substance list or it’s Jail Time ……….

All they need to do now is get the pot heads to pay a tax , whoops they can grow there
own now ………….. To bad Gov .

Cannabis is a state level issue. The feds have no authority in the matter – 10th amendment. The feds can do nothing about it. Being a Schedule 1 drug is bullcrap, its a harmless plant. More people are injured from peanut butter than cannabis.